Hi,

This is just such awesome news I had to share it with you guys as soon as I read it!

If you have been following my blog for a while you know that I like to participate in challenges. I just LOVE the sketches and seeing what all those wonderfully talented ladies come up with.

I have been doing the Viva La Verve sketch challenges for a few months and this last month my cards were chosen as the winner and I won $100 voucher. So i can just go to VERVE STAMPS ONLINE and splurge!!!! Like I previously said, whoever said I did not need more stamps was obviously wrong!

Here is the link for the post with the CARDS THAT WON THE CHALLENGE. Hope you enjoy them!

October VLV Sketch WINNER!!!!!!

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Congratulations to rjkroggy for winning the October Viva la Verve contest!!!!!!! She has won a $100 gift card to the Verve store, JUST in time for a new release!! Rjkroggy, please email the Verve staff at info@vervestamps.com and let them know you are the October winner! 

Have an awesome sunday everyone, I know I will!

Hugs,

Renate

If you have been reading my blog I have promised a while back that I would post some really lovely wedding cards I have done for friends :-)

This one I did for a class with a wedding theme, but seeing as I have no wedding to go to in the near future I used a birthday stamp on the front :-). Cakes and birthdays go hand in hand....

Sorry, I will not list all the "ingredients" used, as it would take me A VERY LONG time, but if you like a particular card and wonder what I have used on it please leave me a comment and I will answer you.

Really hope you like these cards, I had a lot of FUN making them!

Hugs,

Renate

Hi,

I have been doing cards using the Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge. I actually managed to finish and upload this months ones with one day left in the deadline! Phew, that was a close one :-))

Ok, here are the sketches and the matching cards just to make it easy.

WEEK 1:

 

WEEK 2:

 

WEEK 3:

 

WEEK 4:

 

WEEK 5:

Hope you like the cards, and now onto trying to make a list of all the supplies used....All SU unless stated.

Week 1: 

Paper: Early Espresso, River Rock and Crumb Cake

Ink: Chocolate Chip, WHite Embossing powder (is that even an ink???) and Champagne Mist 

Accessories: Big Shot, Lacey Brocade Embossing Folder, Labels Framelits Dies, Ornament Keepsake Framelits Dies, Modern Label Punch, Designer Buttons, Chocolate Ribbon-not SU-

STAMPS: Ornament Keepsakes

Week 2:

Paper: Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Wasabi and Ruby Red-retired-, Retired DSP

Ink: Ruby Red, Marina Mist, Wasabi

Accessories: Fancy Flower Punch, and Lacy Ribbon Border (??) Butterfly punch- both retired-

STAMPS: FLOWER FEST -retired- 

WEEK 3:

Paper: Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Big Shot, Framelits Dies, Polka dot, Elegant Lines  and Designer Frames Embossing Folders, Designer Buttons, So Saffron Retired Ribbon

STAMPS: Elementary Elegance-Sale-a-Bration Set

WEEK 4:

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron and Whisper White

Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Chocolate Chip Retired Ribbon

STAMPS: LOOK WHO'S TURNING, FOX AND FRIENDS - both retired-

WEEK 5:

Paper: Pink Pirouette, Basic Grey, Express it paper, and unknown DSP

Ink: Memento Black (not SU), Champagne Mist

Accessories: COPICS, Circle Scissons -retired-, Big Shot, Polka Dot Embossing Folder, Lacey Brocade Embossing Folder, Designer Buttons, Blushing Bride Ribbon-retired- ,Scallop Circle Bigz Die

- I used the frame from a circle I used for another card. LOVE using ALL my paper!!! And I love using these as frames. Really neat Idea.

STAMPS: TWO BY TWO 

 Some of you readers might get this in the mail sometimes :-). Hope you like the finished product. I have to say pictures never really do some cards justice. Especially when I take the pictures at night.... really should get more organized and take the pictures during the day.

Hugs,
Renate

Hi,

I thought it was about time to get back into the swing with following sketches....I am hoping to be consistent again. This post will be short and sweet.

This is this week's sketch at MOJO Monday:

My card:

I used a bunch of new stuff from the Holiday Catalog, ALL SU products.

Core'Dinations Cardstock in Early Espresso and Cherry Cobbler

Gumball Green and Very Vanilla Cardstock

Ornament Keepsakes Stamp set and Coordinating Die

Lacy Brocade and Polka Dots Embossing Folders

Festival of Prints DSP Stack

Champagne Glimmer Paper

Gold Embossing Powder

Decorative Label, Curly Label and corner Punches

Versamark and Cherry Cobbler Inkpad

Big Shot

Retired: Green and Gold Ribbons, Circle Scissors

I think that's about it for supplies....wow, this is a long list!

Hope you like it and would love to hear your comments.

Hugs,

Renate

This is really bad, not posting anything for over a month! I have not taken a break from my paper crafting, just from posting...Sorry for that. Might have to do either a super long post or a few shorter ones to cover all that work :-).

Anyway, onto this post. I think I might just cover my newest obsession....yeap, you read right, new obsession. Like my old one wasn't expensive enough, needed to add another one.

Well, once you start making cards and using inks and markers and coloring with all sorts of mediums, it won't take you long to discover images that are colored to perfection...Some of them are down right gorgeous!!! It didn't take long to realize they weren't done with SU markers, aquapainter or the blender pen. Here comes....drum roll please! THE COPIC marker!

That was one sad day for Jamie and the budget. But what can I say, Santa came early this year (or me needed to feed the addiction beast :-) ) and here we are. Please don't count and add up.....

I kept thinking of ways to store them and nothing was really right for the limited space I have on my desk, so I came up with these lovely tins covered in designer series paper and I am super happy with how they turned out!!

I have 3, one for the browns and greasy, one for the blues and one for the reds, pinks and purples. I have kept the lovely red container that my mum bought from Italy for yellows and greens. That way there is way to grow...did i mention the Sketch markers come in 356 colours??? Ok, I am no manga coloring chick, but I might need (want) a few more, so I had to make space and moved the blues to their own container.

Here are some images colored with my new Copic Sketch Markers. I haven't yet thought of how to mount them and turn them into cards, but seeing as this coppice coloring is very time consuming and intense and takes about 40'-1hr per image to create, the card mounting will be in a separate session. The whole blending thing is why you need at least 3 colors in each family, better 4-5, it gets better blending outcome!

 SU set: Countryside

My first ever Copic image and I am super happy with how it turned out!! I did sponge the clouds with SU ink in Not Quite Navy

Can I just mention I have bought this stamp set JUST for this image? Country stuff is really NOT meat all, but the pick up truck is really cute and vintagey (is that even a word??) and thought it would be great for a masculine card. Will see who gets it....

 Saturated Canary Digi

Really really happy with the hair! The blue top needs some improvement, so 

will have to print this one out again and keep practicing :-)

 Kanban Crafts: The Cavendish Ladies, Day at the Races

Really like the olive, red and orange combination. Folds are probably the hardest to do properly with Copics, but not too shabby for a first attempt at coloring folds.

 My favorite things: Enjoy Your Journey

This one took some time to color...and to choose the colors also :-)

SU Pleasant Poppies :-)

I saw these  beautiful purple poppies onDarlene's Blog and knew I had to try them. I have to say they were super challenging, with all the different petals and shadows and buds and skinny stems but really like the final result. Darlene's video was also super easy to follow :-) 

Hope you like these images colored with Copics and make sure you come back to check the other postings that I still have to do :-)

Hugs,

Renate

Hi,

I feel I am really blessed to have a loving and supportive husband that puts up with my hobby, actually make that addiction :-). I love being able to stay home with the kids and have the time at night to make my cards and little paper projects. I really don't know how those girls that work and juggle kids and lunches and homeworks even have time to play with paper.

Anyway, I recently have decided to take Jamie's (my loving supportive husband above mentioned :-) advice and try and do a little more than just play with paper. Well, besides scheduling some classes to teach stamping techniques, I decided I would try and teach officially at a craft store near my house.

I finally went MEMORIES LIVE ON in Cupertino, on DeAnza Blvd and talked to the lovely owner, Vivian, and showed her some of my projects; she said she could schedule some classes for october! Woo Hoo!! I am SO grateful for the opportunity and SO excited! Can't wait to start and hope to meet a lot of paper addicted girls along the way :-))). So many beautiful things in her store to play with!

Vivian decided on some classes using punches and cut outs to make various things. This is one of the things I really LOVE to work with, as the finished project always WOWS and it is not that difficult to make (once you take the time to look at how it's made).

I will be teaching 2 classes to start with, a Wedding/Birthday/Baby & Kids class and a Christmas Class. Never to start on those Christmas cards right?

So this is what I have been so busy with for the last week or so, and I can show you some of the cards I made.

These ones will be for the Wedding/Birthday/Kids class:

 

I have been really busy today with putting together the instructions for some of these cards. Some are self explanatory (almost...with a little bit of observation) and some are a little more complicated. I find it  a lot harder to explain what I am doing than actually do it, so this was a little challenging for me. ALways easier doing I think. Anyway, the instructions are all done and super proud or myself for putting it on paper.

Well, thats about it for tonight, hope like my latest projects, and if you are around Cupertino, keep your eye on the Calendar Page at Memories Live On to see my upcoming classes.

Hope this post inspires you to try some new ideas :-)
Hugs,
Renate